Asbestos Removal Programme at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd

The Auditor General for Wales published this Report in September 2020.

Ysbyty Glan Clwyd was designed and built in the 1970s and despite increasing awareness at that time of the health risks associated with exposure to asbestos and the introduction of associated regulations, asbestos was still widely used as a fire retardant in buildings. The hospital’s steel frame was encased in spray-applied asbestos.

In 2012, the Welsh Government approved a project for the Health Board to remove the asbestos and refurbish the hospital. A funding package for the project of £110.4 million, spread over eight financial years was agreed. The project was completed in 2019, almost to schedule, but at a cost of £170.8 million, almost 55% more than the original approved budget.

Much of the report is historical in nature, and both the Welsh Government and the Health Board have acted to strengthen their respective approaches to managing and approving capital projects.

The Public Accounts Committee agreed to consider both what went wrong with this project and also the corrective actions taken by both the Health Board and the Welsh Government to prevent a recurrence. Due to the Public Health Emergency, the Committee sought the views from the Health Board by written communication.